‘‘We’re showing that last year’s development wasn’t a waste of time. We might not have won much but we had to put in that year to reap the rewards for this year.’’

Those words from Seymour A- and B-grade netball coach Ash Chapman seem to be the key to understanding the improvement of the Lions’ top netball sides in 2014.

Both A- and B-grade made it four wins from as many starts against a traditionally strong rival in Shepparton Bears at Kings Park on Saturday.

The A-grade side won remarkably easily, 52-36, a scoreline unheard of for Seymour against the Shepparton side.

The Lions seized control from the start, opening up a 15-9 lead by the first break and turning on a 17-5 quarter in the third to put the result beyond doubt. It might be as impressive a quarter as Seymour has played for many years.

READ THE FULL STORY - INCLUDING LOWER GRADE WRAPS - IN THIS WEEK’S TELEGRAPH